Naked Nutrition “Less Naked” Whey Review — Pros and Cons of Natural

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Review of Less Naked Whey by NKD Naked Nutrition

Naked Nutrition is based in Florida and, as the name suggests, they’re pretty well known for eschewing ingredients like artificial colors and sweeteners.

Their flagship product is a pure, unflavored whey protein concentrate called Naked Whey, but we wanted to try out their more palatable, mainstream-friendly product called “Less Naked Whey.” It’s also free from artificial anything, soy, GMOs, bovine growth hormone, and even stevia — it’s sweetened with coconut sugar.

Less Naked Whey Nutrition

One serving is two scoops that add up to 38 grams, which provides 160 calories: 25 grams of protein, 8 grams of carbs (1g fiber, 5g sugar), and 3 grams of fat (1.5 grams of saturated fat). Note that since this product is made from whey concentrate, it contains lactose.

There’s a decent amount of minerals in this product: one scoop has 10 percent of the RDI of calcium, 8 percent of the RDI of magnesium, and 5 percent of the RDI of potassium. It’s also pretty low in sodium (3 percent of the RDI) but a little high in cholesterol, with 50 milligrams (17 percent of the RDI).

Less Naked Whey Ingredients

There are just three ingredients. First is whey protein concentrate, which is sourced from grass-fed cows from small American dairy farms. It’s cold processed and no acids or bleaches are used in the processing. (The label sternly notes that, “What’s ‘Cool’ for Jeans Isn’t ‘Cool’ for You.”)

Then there’s organic coconut sugar, which is a sweetener made from the sap of the coconut palm tree. It has plenty of fructose and it’s not low in calories, but it’s a little higher in fiber and certain minerals (like iron, zinc, calcium, and potassium) than table sugar. It’s fair to say that it’s a better choice than white sugar, but it’s still sugar. In that regard, it’s a little like honey.

Finally, there’s organic cacao powder. Cacao is a name for cold-processed, unroasted cocoa beans. (Cocoa is made from roasted beans.) It’s a decent source of fiber, iron, and antioxidants.

Less Naked Whey Benefits and Effectiveness

NKD Nutrition Less Naked Whey

So, is this better than regular whey? There are few nutritional differences worth pointing out. It’s not a low-calorie whey — it’s made from whey concentrate, which is a less expensive form of whey. This helps keep the price lower but it’s one of the reasons why there are more carbs and fat in this product than you might see in a whey isolate.

It’s also worth pointing out that in addition to being relatively high in carbs (when compared to more popular, artificially sweetened whey proteins), this product contains lactose. But it doesn’t contain digestive enzymes like lactase or Aminogen, so if you’re sensitive to lactose or if you have difficulties digesting protein powders for other reasons, you may want to steer clear of this product.

One good thing is that the whey comes from grass-fed cows, and when dairy is grass-fed the fat content is a little higher in beneficial fats like CLA and Omega-3. There’s only three grams of fat per serving, but like the coconut sugar, it’s likely somewhat healthier than the cheaper alternative.

Less Naked Whey Price

It’s only available in large, 5-pound tubs, which provide 60 two-scoop servings for $90. That’s $1.50 per serving or 6 cents per gram of protein.

That’s not particularly cheap. When purchasing a similar quantity of a popular brand like Gold Standard and Dymatize Iso 100, you’ll pay somewhere between 3.5 and 4.5 cents per gram of protein. If you really like all-natural whey proteins, a brand like Muscle Feast delivers 5 pounds for 3.5 cents per gram of protein. Other “natural” brands like Xwerks costs 6.5 cents per gram of protein, but Xwerks is an isolate that’s only available in 2-pound tubs, so it makes sense that it would cost more.

NKD Nutrition Less Naked Whey Taste

Less Naked Whey Taste

I tried the chocolate flavor, and despite the coconut sugar this wasn’t particularly sweet. This will be good news for people who find popular whey protein powders a little overwhelmingly sweet. More than anything, this product tasted like very lightly sweetened cocoa. Expect dark chocolate in a cup.

Less Naked Whey Mixability

Unfortunately, Less Naked Whey doesn’t mix very well. This is likely because there aren’t any additions like soy lecithin or sunflower lecithin, which are traditionally used in protein powders to help with mixability. It clumps a bit, so be prepared.

The Takeaway

There’s plenty to like about this product: there’s absolutely nothing artificial, not even stevia. There’s no soy or gums to irritate the tummy. The taste is mild and, for want of a better word, “natural” tasting. Plus it’s grass-fed and is only flavored with organic coconut sugar and organic cacao, which add their own health benefits. It’s also American owned and made, if that’s important to you.

If lactose is a problem, this might not work for you. If you hate protein powder that wont dissolve instantly, this might not work for you. If you love sweet, fudgey, creamy, artificially-flavored protein powders — there’s nothing wrong with that! But Less Naked Whey might not work for you.

I’m a journalist with over seven years' reporting experience on four continents, with most of that spent covering health-related issues. My experience includes covering cholera outbreaks in Kenya and the clubbing scene in Shanghai, which is also where I wrote my first health article for an English language magazine. (It was on diarrhea.)After returning to Australia to finish up degrees in Journalism and International Relations I wound up in New York City, where I’ve worked for Men’s Health, VICE, Popular Science and others. I try to keep health relatively simple — it’s mostly vegetables and sweat — but I live to explore the debates, the fringes, the niche, and the nitty gritty.

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